Tuesday, August 30, 2011

This Conservative government is positioning itself to hold power for a generation or more. Conservative leader Stephen Harper is working on making Canada an Alberta-style democracy. For those non-Canadian readers Alberta is one of our provinces where, despite its many great citizens, one party rules with no effective opposition for decades at a time. If you believe I'm exaggerating, see this news item, which explains how the Alberta Conservative Party is celebrating its 40th year in office (and they replaced the Social Credit Party, who'd been in power for 36 years!).

With the death of New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton and his already unruly and inexperienced caucus in grave danger of washing away, as well as the political assassination of The Liberal Party, Harper now stands essentially unopposed in Parliament.

I'd like to think that everyone who believes in democracy, regardless of their specific ideology, would be deeply fearful of Canada becoming a one-party state.

I take some hope that today one lone MP is discussing an NDP-Liberal coalition. The two parties should swallow their pride and merge in the name of democracy or they could well be spending the next forty years in the political wilderness.

Roberto's Rarities:
An irregular MRML series powered by the wild generosity of our reader, Roberto: Enjoy and don't forget to leave our benefactor a thank-you comment.

The Wasps are not the most obscure English punk/new wave band of the late seventies. After all, not only did Overground Records release a collection of the band's material called Punkyronics but the entire bootleg series Teenage Treats (see HERE) was named after their debut single. However, here in 2011 their album has fallen out-of-print and even when it was available, it left off their second single, Rubber Cars and replaced it with demo versions.

Tell us what you think of The Wasps in the the COMMENTS section(where the link for Rubber Cars can be found) and if there's demand for it maybe we'll post more rarities by them.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Roberto's Rarities:
A MRML series powered by the wild generosity of our reader Roberto: Enjoy and don't forget to leave our benefactor a thank-you comment.

Why of course I like seventies glam, though I'm more drawn to it's fifties-lovin', novelty-centric pop elements then it's proto-metal side. (This split is otherwise known as, "The Sweet's Desolation Boulevard Side One vs. Side Two Debate").
Firmly on my side of the split is this nifty little novelty number by UK band Remember This, which seeks to encapsulate the history of rock n' roll in 3:08. To learn more about this single go visit Barracudas member Robin Wills' great blog, Pure Pop.

Reactions to this rarity, which is a little outside our usual zones of obsessiveness, are strongly encouraged and can be left in the COMMENTS section(where the Rock n' Roll Revival link can be found).

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Roberto's Rarities:
An irregular MRML series powered by the wild generosity of our reader, Roberto: Enjoy and don't forget to leave our benefactor a thank-you comment.

The Singles from Ireland put out this single on Mint Records in 1981 (one track was comped on Powerpearls - see the series HERE) and the A-side is absolutely wound-tight, amped up power-pop-punk with a roundhouse hook. Highly recommended!

Reactions to these two way-cool obscurities are strongly encouraged and can be left in the COMMENTS section(where the T.V. Deceives link can be found).

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Roberto's Rarities:
An irregular MRML series powered by the wild generosity of our reader, Roberto. Enjoy and don't forget to leave our benefactor a thank-you comment.

When, in 1978, punkwagon-jumpers The Depressions jumped off after one LP and some kicky if not life-changing singles, like "Messing With your Heart" they scrambled aboard The Next Big Thing, power-pop and re-named themselves The DP's.

While it's The Depressions' album that was re-issued by Captain Oi (now out-of-print), the DP's album, If You Know What I Mean might be the better of the two albums, if just because the band, former members of a Who/Small Faces cover band, seem more comfortable using their power chords for pop rather than punk.

For an informed and witty overview of the The Depressions metamorphosis into the DP's visit the invaluable Worthless Trash.

Let us know you think of The Depressions/The DP's in the COMMENTS section (which is where you'll find the If You Know What I Mean link).

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Anyone whose visited MRML before knows that I maintain a fanatic devotion to both the works of Bob Dylan and the musical archives of the BBC. BBC recordings are crucial historical documents, which map a midway point between the polish of an artist's studio recordings and the immediacy of their live work.

Now, as the liner notes above will explain (click to read), this is NOT a bootleg of any material in CBS/Sony's vaults. These Recordings Of Independent Origin (ROIO) are, in fact, surprisingly clear recording of two solo concerts concerts Dylan did for the BBC in June of 1965 that were RECORDED DIRECTLY OFF THE TV BY DIE-HARD FANS!

That said, if Web Sheriff, the web monitoring group Dylan's management employ, still believe that this ROIO is not fair game it shall be taken down at once. (I would prefer to do the deed myself, if necessary, but when this POST, also exclusively composed of ROIO material, was judged improper, it was pulled for me). In all fairness, while I do believe that Web Sheriff can overreach, they are nowhere near as heavy-handed as the RIAA et al and do not confuse obsessives with criminals.

I'm back after nine days in the wilds of Western Canada ("Hello, Moosamin"), endless miles of prairie and mountains mitigated by near-endless iPod playlists (and that bloody Ramouns CD). Thanks for the comments on the pre-prepared posts (I had to keep the ruining up, I had to) and remember that things will be back to 'normal 'round here soon enough.

Till the unpacking is all done, here's a newly upgraded FM broadcast of a show by The Clash from the "Take the 5th Tour" of 1979.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

(Alas, Roberto's supply of killer cover scans is done - and the images have grown dire - so if anyone has ANY kind of scans for T.T. V.'s 7-10 let me know!!)Here's a new series (well, the late 1990's, really and even then...), consisting of ten volumes that explore the seedy underbelly of the already seedy underbelly that was British punk rock in the late seventies and early eighties.

Don't Mess Around (Cheeky, 1980, from only 7")

Top Of The Pops (Disco Zombies, 1979, from 1.7")

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Fulham Furies, 1978, from only 7")

Wild Rover (Jeep, 1980, from one of several 7"s)

Colours (Tunnelrunners, 1982, from 2.7" [100 MPH EP])

Cinema Girl (White Car, 1981, from only 7")

Life After Death (Funboy Five, 1979, from only 7")

Girl On The Bus (Thin Yoghurts, 1980, from only 7")

Esther's Not On The Phone (Merciful Release All-Stars, 1980, from Ready In The Rhythm Section LP [split with The Syndromes])

Monday, August 22, 2011

(Alas, Roberto's supply of killer cover scans is done - and the images have grown dire - so if anyone has ANY kind of scans for T.T. V.'s 7-9 let me know!!)

Here's a new series (well, the late 1990's, really and even then...), consisting of ten volumes that explore the seedy underbelly of the already seedy underbelly that was British punk rock in the late seventies and early eighties.

Private Mail (Sneeky Feelin's, 1979, from only 7")
Listen To Your Radio (Donkees, 1981, from 6.7")
My Town (Ghosts, 1980, from only 7")
The Way I See It (Brakes, 1979, from only 7")
South Africa House (Disco Students, 1979, from 1.7")
Exceptions (Stingrays, 1980, from 1.7")
Talking Hands (Collectors, 1980, from only 7")
X No. 1 (Robert & The Remoulds, 1979, from only 7")
He Doesn't Know He's A Trendy (Drop, 1980, from only 7")
Blanket To Blanket (Toys, 1980, from 2.7")
Hard Day At The Office (Reasons, 1978, from only 7")
It Never Happens Like It Does On The Telly (Spasms, 1980, from only 7")

Sunday, August 21, 2011

(Alas, Roberto's supply of killer cover scans is done - and the images have grown dire - so if anyone has ANY kind of scans for T.T. V.'s 7-9* let me know!!)

Here's a new series (well, the late 1990's, really and even then...), consisting of ten volumes that explore the seedy underbelly of the already seedy underbelly that was British punk rock in the late seventies and early eighties.

Ascension Day (Razar, 1978, from 1.7")
Juvenile (Dalex, 1981, from only 7")
Blame It On The Youth (Xtract, 1982, from only 7")
Rather B. Crazy (Charge, 1979, from 1.7")
I'm The One (White SS, 1978, from only 7")
Radio Iceland (Those Intrinsic Intellectuals, 1980, from only 7")
Action By Example (Demons, 1980, from 3.7")
Marilyn Brown (Oscillators, 1980, from 2.7")
Someone Here Must Like Me (Mad Dog, 1979, from Is The War Over compilation EP)
Factory Girl (Deranged, 1980, from Rupert Preaching At A Picnic compilation LP)
Walking The Tightrope (The Arnold, 1980, from When LP)
World War Album (Two Fingered Approach, 1982, from only 7")

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Back in 1997 Cleopatra Records compiled a heavily Anglo-centric history of punk & politics that dealt primarily in the years between 1977 and 1983. While far from perfect it's loaded with great tracks:
Disc three

Friday, August 19, 2011

Back in 1997 Cleopatra Records compiled a heavily Anglo-centric history of punk n' politics that dealt primarily in the years between 1977 and 1983. While far from perfect it's loaded with great tracks:

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Back in 1997 Cleopatra Records compiled a heavily Anglo-centric history of punk and politics that dealt primarily in the years between 1977 and 1983. While far from perfect it's loaded with great tracks:

Disc one

Land of Hope and Glory Ex Pistols
Fight The Cuts The Mekons
Unionize Redskins
It Says Here Billy Bragg
Don't Dictate Penetration
Old Tart Poison Girls
Death of the European The 3 Johns
Spirit of The Falklands New Model Army
Paved With Gold Joolz
Atishoo Morgans
Chemical Warfare Dead Kennedys
The Murder of Liddle Towers Angelic Upstarts
Irrelevant Battles Patrik Fitzgerald
No Respect Newtown Neurotics
Suspect Device Stiff Little Fingers
Right To Work Chelsea
Selfish Few Chaos UK
Fuck Religion, Fuck Politics, Fuck The Lot Of You Chaotic Discord
Hitler's In The Charts Again The Exploited

While I'm away from my main computer for a spell (hence the link for Agit-Prop Vol. 1 being right HERE), I'll still get to read all the COMMENTS, so please give us your take on this series.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The recently remastered and expanded reissue of The Blue Shadows 'On The Floor Of Heaven' album got me thinking of other bands that were gigging around Vancouver in those days. Bands like Buddy Selfish and his Saviours, Herald Nix and Ray Condo. Ray Condo and his Hardrock Goners put out 5 great albums.The first two were the out-of-print albums 'Crazy Date'(1986) and 'Hot 'n' Cold'(1988). I particularly liked the addition of a fiddle to the rockabilly sound.

Later Ray Condo formed a band Ray Condo and his Ricochets that was more in a western swing style that even covered jazz standards.Unfortunately Ray passed away in 2004 but has left a fantastic musical legacy.Ray Condo and his bands certainly deserved much more success.

Many of Ray Condo's albums are for sale as CDs and downloads from the regular sources.Crow-Matic Records has two excellent compilations for sale.Both compilations are recommended.

http://sandmark.tripod.com/store.html

A detailed discography can be found here.

http://countrydiscography.blogspot.com/2010/11/ray-condo.html

A1 Blast Off
A2 The Worrying Kind
A3 Lonely Wolf
A4 Crazy Mixed Up World
A5 Burn Your Playhouse Down
A6 Hot'n' Cold
A7 The Sinister Urge
B1 This Is The Night
B2 One Way Ticket
B3 Wild Guitar
B4 All Night Long
B5 You Shake Me Up
B6 Could She Kiss
B7 Don't

Since your friendly neighbourhood Blogger is taking some time away from his computer the link for Hot n' Cold is HERE but since I'm packing my Crackberry like it was a pistol, COMMENTS are still requested.

Monday, August 15, 2011

As I said for Volume one (see HERE), it's interesting that many editions of Jeffs98119's Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan (all 36 volumes HERE) compare so favourably to this tasteful, well-compiled (but now out-of-print) set done with the professional backing and major label access of Uncut Magazine. As always, what I dig may or may not be your cup of meat but I'll argue that this volume plays like a nice mix tape and, while still imperfect, it is a much stronger end-to-end listen than its predecessor. On this set fellow Minnesotan Paul Westerberg does a nice loping "Positively 4th Street", the Specials (circa 1980) do their creepy take on "Maggie's Farm", Dr Feelgood punch-up "Highway 61", Robyn Hitchcock does weird things to "Tangled up in Blue" and Buddy and Julie Miller countrify "Wallflower" (which already had some twang to begin with).

The recently remastered and expanded reissue of The Blue Shadows 'On The Floor Of Heaven' album got me thinking of other bands that were gigging around Vancouver in those days. Bands like Buddy Selfish and his Saviours, Herald Nix and Ray Condo. Ray Condo and his Hardrock Goners put out 5 great albums.The first two were the out-of-print albums 'Crazy Date'(1986) and 'Hot 'n' Cold'(1988). I particularly liked the addition of a fiddle to the rockabilly sound.

Later Ray Condo formed a band Ray Condo and his Ricochets that was more in a western swing style that even covered jazz standards.Unfortunately, Ray passed away in 2004 but has left a fantastic musical legacy. Ray Condo and his bands certainly deserved much more success.

Since your friendly neighbourhood Blogger is taking some time away from his computer, the link for Crazy Date is HERE but since I've holstered my Crackberry like a six-gun, COMMENTS are still requested.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

It's interesting that many editions of Jeffs98119's Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan (all 36 volumes HERE) compare so favourably to this tasteful, well-compiled (but now out-of-print) set done with the professional backing and major label access of Uncut Magazine. As always, your highlights and mine may differ but for the record I'll recommend this for the fine versions of Dylan classics by The Band, The Waterboys, Howard Devoto and Paul Weller.

We talked a lot about Snuff last week (see HERE) but declined to offer a theory on the peak of Snuff singer/songwriter/drummer Duncan Edmonds career. Is it the Not Listening E.P., the Snuff Said... album, the Flibbiddydibbiddydob E.P. or something more recent? Or might it this bastardized collection of Redmonds short-lived band Guns n' Wankers?

All the songs on this mini-album were released in 1994 on a series of genre-themed 7"'s ('pop', 'metal', 'hardcore' and the freebie "silly') which was then issued in somewhat abbreviated format (no 'silly') as S/T by Damaged Goods in England and finally in even more truncated form by American label Fat Wreck-Chords (no 'silly', no 'metal') as For Dancing and Listening.

So with such a discographical fiddling, how will I argue this is Redmonds' finest work?

1) Songs like "Skin Deep" are "Help" are full of rough, racing guitars and choruses wound-up so tight that they just explode but yet these well-crafted songs could easily be done outside the punk idiom - just imagine what Lucinda Williams would do with a sad-but-defiant tune like "Help".

2) While Redmonds stepping out from behind the kit (shades of Dave Grohl!) may have been a bit disappointing, adding a killer Wildhearts rhythm section (Patrice Walters on drums and Joolz Dean on bass) allows his singing to be sharper, more controlled and more dominating than usual.

3) Lyrically, this release has the most resonant words of Redmonds' career. While early albums are dominated by either a twenty-something angst or whimsical cover songs (which it must be stressed are wondrous things) this album faces the sad, hard, fucked-up choices of life and then finds a "better place". Plus it make for one hell of a break-up album - jus' sayin'.

4) With just eight filler-free tracks, this album, unlike this post, proves that brevity is soul of wit.

So is this Redmonds best work? Let us know what you believe in the COMMENTS section (which is where you'll find the S/T link).If you love this album and don't already own it go and buy the quintessential version of the album at either FAT WRECK-CHORDS, iTunesor AMAZON.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

In the days before the mash-up became the purview of every digi-geek, merging two contradictory (but weirdly complementary) styles of music involved intense labour. Witness London's currently-inactive Gabba, who like Dread Zeppelin before them created a fascinating hybrid of two divergent seventies phenomenon, the Ramones and ABBA. While the novelty factor is outta site here - bordering on dinner theater - this out-of-print 1999 record has grown on me over time despite my long-espoused ABBA-ophbia.

Let us know what you think of this culture clash in the COMMENTS section, which is where you'll find the Leave Stockholm link.)

Friday, August 12, 2011

We've been talking about German and American men covering the Ramones covers and we've been talking about Japanese women covering the Ramones but we've yet to talk about Japanese women covering the Ramones AND The Toy Dolls! To rectify this egregious oversight, here's Lolita No. 18 who snagged one of the the last appearance by Joey Ramone on their version of "Rockaway Beach" from this 2001 album.

So whadya think of Lolita No. 18? Let us know in the COMMENTS section (which is where you'll find The Great Rock n' Roll Festival link).

Due to my cultural ignorance I can't tell you much more about the band but f you want to support them visit Sister Records

Thursday, August 11, 2011

"OH, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet" said Rudyard Kipling but then If old Rudyard had ever heard these three Japanese women ripping through the songbook of one of America's greatest bands he would probably would've scurried into the Jungle as fast as Rikki-Tikki.

Shonen Knife (more HERE) have always worn their Ramones love on their matching sleeves, as evidenced by their recent track, "Ramones Forever", but perhaps their latest tribute might make East and West a little claustrophobic. It's not that the individual tracks like "The KKK Took My Baby Away" aren't charmingly accented pop-punk knock-offs but the sheer number of obvious choices ("Blitzkreig Bop", "Rockaway Beach", Sheena is a Punk Rocker") and the lack of any one element added to the songs themselves (the obvious aside) make this a less than earth-shaking way to mark Shonen Knife's 30th anniversary.

In previous discussions of this album, I've claimed that this recording "takes an inherently limited opportunity and makes a fist of it," but further listening will revel even more than that. Whether it's the electrification of "Questioningly" (with backing vocals by Penelope Houston of The Avengers), turning "Gone Mental" into an acoustic track or just the way Dr. Frank's very un-Joey-like phrasing subtly changes every song, the trio create something more worthy than it's limited edition run of 1,700 LP's suggests.

M1 I Just Want To Have Something To Do
M2 I Wanted Everything
M3 Don't Come Close
M4 I Don't Need You
M5 Needles And Pins
M6 I'm Against It
T1 I Wanna Be Sedated
T2 Go Mental
T3 Questioningly
T4 She's The One
T5 Bad Brain
T6 It's A Long Way Back

Let us know what you think of this one in the COMMENTS section (which is where you'll find the Road to Ruin link).

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The best $1.00 album I ever bought? Though I've bought a lot of dollar albums (Rockaway Beach Boys came from the discard stack in a political-metal store named War On Music) this one by The Rämouns was a glorious surprise. It's a surprise because I had aLready listened to the album over at Ratboy69's site and given it a meh. My initial reaction (mirrored in a lot of badly-written on-line reviews) was based on the fact that it was more Beach Boys than Ramones. Now, upon holding the things in my hand, I hear the strength of playing it 66.6% Beach Boys and 33.4%% Ramones.

On songs like "I Get Around" the band use a Ramones-like instrumental foundation and then over-lay it with a surprisingly assured vocal performance. Unlike so many novelty bands (and I'm not denying the novelty appeal here), this isn't based on mashing up two wildly disparate elements but rather amping up the connection between two things that are already somewhat linked. The glorious surprise is in how deftly this German band pulls off the hybridization.

The album is available from Amazon but for $25.71, which for truth-in-advertising's sake I must warn you is almost a dollar a minute and that's a lot pricier than my copy.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

So while the version of the minimally-worded song, "That's Fine" is the same as the K Records 7" version from 1991, the three B-sides on this 1992 10 Past 12 Records E.P. are totally different. It's frustrating to think how much better Reach could've been with the use of some of these excellent B-sides. For more Snuff go HERE.

1 That's Fine (Smile) 2 Another Day (Reprise) 3 I Can See Clearly Now 4 You're Wondering Now

So which is the better version of the 'That's Fine" single? Let us know in the COMMENTS section(which is where you'll find the link for the That's Fine E.P.)

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